Album Info?

[Mike]

Can anyone give me any feedback on these 3 albums? Are they worth getting? From reviews I've read they sound like something I need in my collection, but I really need to hear a few tracks before I go paying 30 to 40 bucks for rare old school hip hop. That's what people are charging for these discs, with no music samples anywhere. I'm surprised I don't own them by now but they must have got lost in the shuffle back in the day.

1. Downtown Science- S/T (I already know Sam Sever is part of the duo)
2. Da King & I- Contemporary Jeep Music
3. Down South- Lost In Brooklyn

Also, what's the big deal with Akinyele "Vagina Diner"? I've heard a couple of tracks from this album, and they really don't blow me away, nothing special. The price that people are charging on Amazon and Ebay ($110), now that blows me away.

[Monte Hall]

Problem Child

[Monte Hall]

Problem Child

Downtown Science is really good. Sam Sever's beats are always on point and Bosco Money is hugely underated as an emcee (very smooth and intellectual flows).

I don't know about the other albums but you ain't going to go wrong with Downtown Science - wish I still had that album!

As for Akinyele, he is lyrically dexterous but nothing special. I think that album you are talking about is revered because the beats are done by Large Professor if I'm not mistaken.

Hope this helps in your decision.

Peace
Monte Hall

[PL]

The Downtown Science album was great; especially production-wise.  I've got the Radioactive single on 12" and the album on cassette.  Da King & I put out a few good singles; but nothing stands out. 

"Tears" & "Krak Da Weazel" are both on youtube.  I forgot how good those songs were.

[andyfilius]

I'll back up the props on the Dowtown Science album. I'm not so much into the MC, but the beats are great, and carry a lot by themselves. Let me know about the other 2 if you get them. I hadn't really heard of them.

I'm glad there's someone else out there building a CD library of the classic stuff. There's something special about having a wall with a rack of good stuff. Something great in friends coming over, cracking open a few disc cases, checking out the artwork, and listening.

We should build a list of must-have classic CDs. I'm selling off a lot of mine, except for the stuff i consider to be classics. Let me know how the last 2 sound if you get them.

andy.

[Mike]

I still have not received the Downtown Science disc. I got the other two. Both of them are f'n great! Exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend them for old school hip hop listeners. Down South is just a little better than Da King & I, but I was not disappointed with either. I am trying to compare them to something so you guys could have some reference but they stand out by themselves. Here is a list of complete albums I own. I know I'm missing alot of stuff, but I wanted to get the hard to find, out of print, expensive stuff out of the way. This does not include hundreds of singles and incomplete albums I own. Yo Andy, did you get that Organized Konfusion S/T disc you bought from me on Ebay a few months back? I never got feedback.

Apache-Apache Ain't Shit
The Beastie Boys-Check Your Head
The Beastie Boys-Hello Nasty
The Beastie Boys-To The 5 Boroughs
The Beatnuts-Intoxicated Demons: The EP
Black Moon-Enta Da Stage
Black Sheep-A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
Brand Nubian-The Very Best Of Brand Nubian
Candyman-Ain't No Shame In My Game
Casual-Fear Itself
Chi-Ali-The Fabulous Chi-Ali
Cypress Hill-Cypress Hill
D-Nice-Call Me D-Nice
D-Nice-To Tha Rescue
Da King & I-Contemporary Jeep Music
Das EFX-Dead Serious
De La Soul-3 Feet High And Rising
De La Soul-3 Feet High And Rising [Bonus Disc]
De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead
De La Soul-Buhloone Mind State
Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics-Stunts, Blunts, & Hip Hop
Digital Underground-Sex Packets
DJ Quik-The Best Of DJ Quik
Dr. Dre-The Chronic
Dream Warriors-And Now The Legacy Begins
Eazy-E-Eazy-Duz-It
Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs-Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto
Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs-Roxbury 02119
Eric B. & Rakim-Follow The Leader (Expanded)
Eric B. & Rakim-Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Eric B. & Rakim-Don't Sweat The Technique
Fu-Schnickens-F.U. Don't Take It Personal
Gang Starr-Hard To Earn
Grand Puba-Reel To Reel
Ice-T-The Iceberg (Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say)
Ice Cube-AmeriKKKas Most Wanted
Ice Cube-Kill At Will
Jesse Jaymes-Thirty Footer In Your Face
KMD-Mr. Hood
KMD-Black Bastards
KMD-Best Of KMD
Kurious-A Constipated Monkey (Re-issue & OG)
Kurious-Amalgam Digital Bonus B-Sides
Kurious Jorge-Demo Out Takes
Leaders Of The New School-A Future Without A Past...
LL Cool J-Walking With A Panther
Lord Finesse-Funky Technician
Main Source-Breaking Atoms (Bonus Tracks)
Main Source-Fuck What You Think (- track 6)
Masta Ace-Take A Look Around
MC Serch-Return Of The Product
MC Serch-M.any Y.oung L.ives A.go: The 1994 Sessions
Naughty By Nature-Naughty By Nature
Nice & Smooth-Nice & Smooth
O.C.-Word...Life
O.C.-Jewelz (Bonus Tracks)
Ol' Dirty Bastard-Return To The 36 Chambers
Organized Konfusion-Organized Konfusion
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth-All Souled Out [EP]
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth-Mecca & The Soul Brother
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth-The Main Ingredient
The Pharcyde-Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
Poor Righteous Teachers-Holy Intellect
Poor Righteous Teachers-Pure Poverty
Poor Righteous Teachers-Black Business
Poor Righteous Teachers-The New World Order
Positive K-The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills
Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich-Dust To Dust
Run-D.M.C.-Ultimate
Showbiz & A.G.-Runaway Slave
Showbiz & A.G.-Goodfellas
Slick Rick-The Ruler's Back
Souls Of Mischief-'93 'Til Infinity
Tony D-Droppin' Funky Verses
A Tribe Called Quest-People's Instinctive Travels And Paths Of Rhythm
Ugly Duckling-Journey To Anywhere
Ugly Duckling-Journey To Anywhere (Bonus CD)
Ugly Duckling-Taste The Secret
UMC's-Fruits Of Nature
UMC's-Unleashed
3rd Bass-The Cactus Album
3rd Bass-The Cactus Revisited
3rd Bass-Derelicts Of Dialect

[Monte Hall]

Problem Child

You have some excellent discs in your collection. I noticed that you have Black Moon "Enta Da Stage" album. If you like the Boot Camp Clik check out these three albums that are excellent:

1) Smif-N-Wessun - Dah Shinin' (I think it is the best of any album by Boot Camp Clik)
2) Heltah Skeltah - Nocturnal
3) OGC (Originoo Gunn Clappaz) - Da Storm

They all have that heavy dark Brooklyn mid-90's boom-bap sound and are produced by Da Beatminerz.

[Mike]

Update on the Akinyele "Vagina Diner" album: worth every dime! I was skeptical at first because his easier to find stuff was aiight, I guess. Also because I never heard anything from it, but after taking a chance and paying a pretty penny for it on ebay (because I'm addicted to anything that came out between 88-94 and this thing is goin for big bucks so i took a chance). I'm glad I did. I know I said I heard a couple tracks before, but it was actually his newer shit. I always knew Large Professor (Main Source, Nasty NaS...BBQ Live, get it?) produced it, but I didn't know he did the damn thing like dat?! The production, beats, samples...whatever, are bangin', hard too. Obviously it's hard to find on any format, and you're gonna pay mad loot for it (maybe except for the cassette, what's that?). After getting it though, I, personally, can't stop listening to it. It also led me to track down Large Pro's shelved album "The LP", another fuckin' gem! Not as good as Akinyele's debut, but a great album nonetheless. These two albums are what the Golden Age was all about, probably because they were recorded in the era.